Abstract
The present study was aimed to investigate the role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) in the control of renin release and to examine if NO is implicated in the development of two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats $(150{\sim}200\; g)$ were constricted at the left renal artery. They were then supplemented with $N^{G}-nitro-L-arginine\;methyl\;ester\;(L-NAME,\; 5mg/100\;mL)$ or with L-arginine hydrochloride (400 mg/100 mL) in the drinking water. The control group was supplied with normal tap water. The sham-clipped rats were operated as in 2K1C rats except for that no clip was made. The kidneys were taken to examine in vitro release of renin at days 7 and 14 following clipping the renal artery. Northern blot analysis was also done to assess the expression of renin gene in the kidney. In sham-clipped rats, L-NAME caused a sustained increase of the blood pressure, whereas L-arginine was without effect. Neither L-NAME nor L-arginine-supplementation significantly affected the development of hypertension in 2K1C rats. Plasma renin concentration (PRC) measured on day 28 did not significantly differ among the L-NAME, L-arginine and control groups either in 2K1C or in sham-clipped rats. Renin contents (RRC) in the clipped kidney were increased, while those in the contralateral kidney were decreased. The release of renin in vitro from cortical slices was also enhanced in the clipped kidney, whereas it was attenuated in the contralateral. Comparing the RRC and in vitro release, the latter was more rapidly decreased than the former in the contralateral kidney. The renin mRNA levels in the contralateral kidney were almost at their nadir at days 7 and 14 in 2K1C rats. It is suggested that NO does not affect the development of 2K1C hypertension in which the renin-angiotensin system has been activated. The data also confirm that RRC and renin gene expression are increased in the clipped kidney and suppressed in the contralateral kidney in 2K1C rats.